MOUNT VERNON – Cornell's men's soccer team gave Midwest Conference regular-season champion Knox a 90-minute battle before falling 2-1 in a tough season-ending setback at home Sunday afternoon.

Coach Nate Grosse's Rams finished the campaign at 5-10-3 overall and wound up sixth in the MWC race at 3-4-2. Cornell was three points behind Monmouth for the fourth and final qualifying spot in the upcoming MWC Tournament.

Three of Cornell's MWC losses were decided by a single goal, including this finale to the Prairie Fire (14-3-2, 8-1 MWC), who wrapped up the regular-season title and tourney hosting rights with the win.  

Facundo Benavidez (SR/Buenos Aires, Argentina) pulled the Rams even at 1-1 at the 32-minute mark of the first half. The senior placed his fourth goal of the season into the corner of the net off a long pass from Andrew Lopez (FR/Aurora, Colo.), answering Knox's initial goal 10 minutes prior.  

The Prairie Fire went back ahead with an unassisted goal two minutes into the second half, and made the 2-1 margin stand the rest of the way.  

Cornell hung close despite being outshot 21-6 in the match. Dylan Terrell (JR/Hickory Hills, Ill.) drew the start at keeper and posted eight saves in 88 minutes of work. Tom Gallagher (JR/Cincinnati, Ohio) came on for the final two minutes and had one save.

Benavidez led Cornell's attack with two shot attempts. Maxwell Ishmael (SR/Ossining, N.Y.), Tyler Davis (JR/St. Andrews, Jamaica), Aria Dehshid (SO/Tehran, Iran) and Daniel Edwards (SO/Lake Worth, Fla.) had one shot apiece.